AUSD Commences Construction on Historic Alameda High School Restoration and Revitalization Project

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AUSD Commences Construction on Historic Alameda High School Restoration and Revitalization Project

05/01/17

Overall site at Central Building

Overall site at Science Building

Classroom

Historic Classroom

Corridor

Design by Quattrocchi Kwok Architects, 1924 neoclassical building to be restored, modernized to honor history and serve students

Alameda, Calif. — May 1, 2017 — QKA, Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) staff, Board of Education members and community leaders recently gathered to celebrate the highly-anticipated start of construction to restore, renovate and seismically retrofit Historic Alameda High School (HAHS).

The 100,000-square-foot historic high school building, which was constructed in 1924, is a registered Historical Landmark. Over the years, it has contained classrooms, the district office, the Alameda Adult School, and the Alameda Free Library. The library moved out in 2006, and the district office moved out in 2013 after seismic experts deemed it unsafe. The complex has stood empty since then.

The retrofit and restoration, which was designed by Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA), will be paid for out of funds from the 2014 Measure I Facilities Bond. HAHS’s project completion is anticipated in December 2019.

“I am beyond excited that this beautiful building will be restored to its former glory and made into modern classrooms for AUSD students,” said Superintendent Sean McPhetridge. “My sincere thanks goes to QKA for having the vision and expertise to create this beautiful design, and I am grateful that this community approved Measure I, without which we would not be able to preserve this vital and iconic community resource and keep our facilities current for our students.”

The neoclassical revival building’s design includes:

Historic interior and exterior restoration, including preserving main lobby to resemble the original

Modernization reconstruction that includes 45 state-of-the-art classrooms, 10 new science labs, and an infusion of needed teaching technology

Seismic retrofitting and updating structural, mechanical, and electrical systems for functionality and efficiency, as well as aesthetics, to complement the design

AUSD’s Board of Education approved the plans for HAHS on March 28, 2016.

“As a significant community historic resource, this restoration has been an incredibly rewarding project where we’ve had the opportunity to preserve this piece of history while implementing a redesign of its classroom spaces for today’s learning and teaching environments,” said Mark Quattrocchi, principal at QKA. “We are thrilled for AUSD and this monumental occasion to officially begin construction after it being underutilized for nearly 50 years.”

QKA, a Bay Area K-12 industry architecture firm, also designed the restoration of the similar looking neoclassical Napa High School, which was built in the early 1920s and was also successfully upgraded to its original grandeur. Lathrop Construction is serving as the HAHS project contractor and has teamed with QKA on many school new construction and reconstruction projects. Other members of the project team include Bay Area-based ZFA Structural Engineers - structural engineer; Napa, CA-based Costa Engineers - mechanical engineer; San Rafael, CA-based O’Mahony & Myer - electrical engineer; Santa Rosa, CA-based Brelje & Race - civil engineer; San Francisco, CA-based Carducci Associates - landscape architect; and San Francisco, CA-based Knapp Architects - Historic Preservation Consultant.

"As an important piece of Alameda's history and architectural legacy, it is wonderful to see the HAHS getting the restoration and modern updates needed to keep it safe and accessible for future generations,” says Christopher Rummell, president of the Alameda Architectural Preservation Society. “AAPS applauds the efforts of everyone involved in preserving this local treasure.”

About AUSD

Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) serves more than 9600 students in Alameda, California, an island community in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Measure I bond, passed in 2014, is providing $179.5 million for facilities projects across the district. This bond was based on the 2014 Facilities Master Plan, which identified $590 million worth of renovations, modernizations, and repairs needed in AUSD's school sites.For more information, please visit the AUSD website, follow @AUSDNews on Twitter, or subscribe to our email communications. Questions? Contact Susan Davis, Senior Manager, Community Affairs, at sdavis@alameda.k12.ca.us.